Answers before
the demo call.

Very little. You install our plugin and then we need your XenForo API credentials, your brand assets (logo, colors), and access to one or two moderators for beta testing. We handle everything else: development, App Store accounts, submission, and ongoing updates. You don't need a developer on your end.

For the standard revenue-share model, we typically see the strongest results for forums with 500+ daily active users. That's where the app pays for itself fastest (usually 3–6 months). Smaller forums are welcome too though we may not be able to offer the no-upfront option depending on your setup. Book a call and we'll give you an honest assessment.

Not at all. The Forumly app runs completely in parallel with your existing web app as optional  new front end UI/UX that your members can access. We integrate via the XenForo API and a lightweight add-on. Your web app doesn't change. We've found that every forum has members that like things how they are, this is for the subset of Users that would prefer a native app. All data remains on your servers. We are simply a new front end layered on top of what you already have.

We measure your current mobile web ad revenue per user (your baseline ARPU). Once the app is live, any in-app ad revenue is split 50/50. Here's where we back it up, if the app doesn't perform above your baseline by 2x, we take nothing until it does (the 2× Guarantee). We only make money if we make you money. Revenue is reported monthly and your share is paid out directly.

For forums with 500+ DAUs on the standard plan, the $6,000 setup fee is typically recovered within 3–6 months. After that, the 50/50 split is pure additional revenue above and beyond what your mobile web Users are already generating since we take nothing if we don't double your ARPU.

Premium stays premium. Any member with an existing paid/ad-free subscription will never see ads in the Forumly app. Their experience is respected. Their tier carries over seamlessly via their User Groups.

Forumly is compatible with XenForo 2.2 and 2.3. We update the app to support new XenForo versions as they're released, so you won't be left behind when 2.4 or future versions come out. If you're unsure which version your forum is running, you can find it in your Admin Control Panel under Tools > Statistics. If you're on an older version, reach out and we can talk through your options.

We support the core XenForo feature set and many popular plugins. During the discovery call we'll go through your specific configuration and tell you exactly what's supported and what our roadmap looks like. Custom or niche add-ons may require additional scoping.

We integrate via the XenForo REST API plus a lightweight add-on installed on your forum. This handles real-time data sync, permissions, search, and notifications. All content lives on your servers, we are simply reading and writing through the API.

The app uses its own native UI/UX, it doesn't inherit your XenForo theme. So custom CSS or XenForo visual modifications don't carry over. Your branding (logo, colors, identity) is applied natively within the app. We parse all BBCode into native iOS and Android UI elements. For custom plugins, we assess on a case-by-case basis during the discovery call.

Yes. All data stays on your servers. We never store your forum's content on Forumly infrastructure. Our add-on reads data through the XenForo API using your existing permission model. We follow industry standard security practices.

If you have a Tapatalk integration or a webview wrapper, Forumly can make you a native app in addition (or as a replacement) that we think is genuinely better, but we're biased. If you already have a custom native app, we'd want to understand what you have and discuss whether we can improve on it.

Night and day. Tapatalk is an aggregator: your community lives inside their app, under their brand, with their reviews and their relationship with your members. Forumly builds your app: your name in the App Store, your icon, your screenshots, your push notifications. All engagement accrues to your property. We're also fully native — not a webview wrapper, so the experience is genuinely faster and more polished.

We'd love to support your work. It's our way of giving back. If you're operating a nonprofit or 501(c)(3), reach out and tell us about your community and we'll have a conversation about getting you an app at a fraction of the cost.

We handle everything. Forumly manages the full submission process for both the Apple App Store and Google Play including all metadata, screenshots, descriptions with your input. The app is published under your name and brand, not ours. Your community gets the listing, we handle the logistics.

We stay on top of platform policy changes as part of our ongoing management. If Apple or Google update their guidelines in a way that affects your app, we handle the technical and submission response. That's a part of why operators partner with us rather than building in-house.